Recently, my son-in-law (SIL) told me about this documentary he
watched in his university course about the penal system in the 1950s. He’s
studying law enforcement and this documentary was a case study where they took
students to live in a prison-like setting. Half the students were told that
they were the prisoners and the other half were the guards. The take home
message from this case study was that ALL the students fell into their roles
and didn’t veer from them. If they were prisoners, then they were stuck in
character. If guards, that’s who they became. This got me thinking. Our
thoughts are so powerful. If we BELIEVE we’re writers, and practice this ROLE,
then by God, we begin to FEEL like writers.
Sometimes it’s a matter of unplugging from the hard-wiring we’ve
had growing up. As children, we fall into roles quite easily and sometimes are
stuck in these roles for the rest of our lives. An ‘A’ student will always be
the smart one. The ‘C’ student won’t. When I began the journey to be a
published author, at first I thought only teachers or people with masters in
English or in creative writing were good enough to be authors. It was a huge
obstacle to overcome for me mentally, but overcome I did. I broke the mold that
I was stuck in for years.
Once I retrained my mind, I developed a positive mental
attitude, and I found that I started to feel free from the limitations I grew
up with. It really didn’t matter if I didn’t possess an English degree or MFA,
I knew I could learn to become a published author by sheer determination,
perseverance, patience, and practice. I had the time to invest in following my
heart, and I did.
I made a commitment. I scheduled my time. And I asked for
support from my family or friends when I needed it. Remember the only thing
holding you back from your writing aspirations is YOU. Break out of the role
that’s keeping you from your dreams. You’ll be happier and healthier in the
long run.
Thanks a heap for reading my
blog. If you have time, please leave a comment and share what YOU do to create
the role of writer for yourself. Cheers!
Great post, Sharon. Anyone can break out of a role that limits them. You are one great role model!
ReplyDeleteNow you've got me blushing, Rita! Thank you for your kind comment. And yes, we all have the power to do great things! Cheers!
DeleteI agree, Sharon. A positive attitude is mandatory in the writing business, because we have to deal with so much rejection. But I have to confess that when I started, it didn't occur to me that I couldn't write a book. I just did it. I think too many would-be writers are intimidated because they view writing a book as an enormous, frightening task. For me, it helped just to think of day by day, page by page. That way the light at the end of the tunnel doesn't look so far away and before you know it, you're writing those two blissful words: THE END..
ReplyDeleteGreat advice, Jan! You must have had wonderful self-esteem when you started writing. Kudos to you and thanks for your input!
DeleteThank you, Sharon! I needed this today! Good Advice!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure, Sara! We're all in this writing journey together! Hugs!
DeleteYou truly are the Queen. You are a positive person who goes beyond the call to encourage and support others. Thanks for this post. Came at just the right time.:)
ReplyDeleteHugs, Sloane! Glad I could put a little sunshine in your day today! Salute!
DeleteWhen we travel (which admittedly isn't that often) I always put 'writer' as my occupation. It took me a while to be able to do this.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, Vonnie, I had a problem with this. My mom suggested I say I'm an author, as it sound more prestigious. LOL! That's a mom for you! Hugs for your input!
DeleteLove this! Now to put it into action....
ReplyDeleteLOL! Thanks, Krysten! Do it now!
DeleteYes, I've known plenty of writers who didn't think they were. You can guess, having gone through it yourself, how hard a time I've had convincing them otherwise!
ReplyDeleteTrue that, Danny! It's like fighting against the flow at times. Just keep believing in yourself!
DeleteThanks Sharon. That's what I needed to hear today.
ReplyDeleteYou're more than welcome, Melissa! Glad to have uplifted you! Cheers!
DeleteGreat post. My degree is in Physical Education with a Masters degree in Health. Kind of unusual for a writer but many of us travel different paths in this challenging career.
ReplyDeleteIt is, but I bet you've used that degree in a book or two, Susan! Thanks for your valuable input! Cheers!
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